Pete RohlederHey Movers! It’s been a while since my last episode, and I wanted to take some time to chat about the global health crisis that has rocked our way of life.
But first, I want to thank those working in the trenches- the healthcare community, essential workers, and researchers who are risking their lives to serve others. You were thrust into this chaos and have been fighting to make things better, so thank you.
On another note, thank you for listening, commenting, and sending questions my way. Your engagement has been a source of inspiration for me to keep this little side project going and strive to continue to make a difference. I appreciate your patience during my short sabbatical. The time that I spent away from the show has allowed me to focus my attention on my family. It has also helped me gain further perspective on how vital health and exercise is, and how it goes beyond fitness for the sake of aesthetics. Now, we’re talking about survival.
Now more than ever, we need exercise to be part of our lives. And more importantly, now more than ever, we need to know HOW to take care of our health and improve it through exercise. The time for guessing and waiting is gone. This virus has made that evident.
With the limited research on the virus right now, one thing has been made abundantly clear- the sickest COVID-19 patients share underlying conditions: high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
All three of those conditions are significantly modifiable through exercise and proper lifestyle habits.
Modifiable. Meaning, reversible and reducible. In some cases, gone. Eliminated. All through the addition of appropriate exercise and improved lifestyle choices.
Further, as we’re seeing here in the US, millions of people have lost their jobs, and with that, some have lost their health insurance, health benefits, and access to medications.
Again, now more than ever, improving our health and fitness through lifestyle changes and exercise is absolutely paramount. Many conditions, like the ones I listed above, can be significantly enhanced through exercise and improved lifestyle habits. Medication is not the only solution. Research upon research has concluded that exercise is medicine. There is evidence that prescribing exercise as medicine can positively treat 26 different diseases1.
26!
They range from:
- psychiatric diseases, such as depression and anxiety;
- neurological diseases, like dementia and multiple sclerosis;
- metabolic diseases such as obesity, high cholesterol, and type 1 and 2 diabetes;
- cardiovascular diseases, like hypertension, coronary heart disease, and heart failure;
- pulmonary diseases, such as (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma;
- musculoskeletal disorders, like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, and rheumatoid arthritis;
- and even cancer.
Quoting some excerpts from an article from Harvard Medical School2, an October 2013 BMJ study found that exercise is often as effective as medications at preventing death from the most common killer diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
An April 2014 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that regular aerobic exercise appears to improve brain activity, which can increase verbal memory and learning.
And the list goes on: post-meal walking helps regulate blood sugar levels; strengthening and flexibility exercises reduce pain from hip and knee arthritis; exercise programs can improve the cognitive functioning of people with dementia.
I am not negating medication in any way- but the reliance upon it over efforts to change lifestyle choices and engage in exercise is staggering.
Though I’ve always stood by this, this crisis has reawakened me to the importance of exercise, but more specifically, understanding how to implement these changes on our own.
Though exercise and fitness professionals will be here to help, there has been and will be a change in accessibility to professionals due to social distancing and potential quarantines.
Now is the time that we embrace the Movement Mindset and take the initiative on our health and fitness. It’s time to invest in the know-how so we can do it the right way for us in the event we can’t rely on someone else. In today’s climate of COVID, this is essential.
If you are an exercise or fitness professional, I challenge you to find innovative and dynamic ways to reach as many people as possible and encourage them to embrace the Movement Mindset.
Go beyond the workout and teach them how to address and take control of their health and fitness. Maybe it’s starting a blog or podcast, or creating an accountability community where they can come to you with questions. If you are worried about losing clients by empowering them, consider the impact of being a resource to them. To this day, I have clients I have not physically trained in 5 years, still reaching out to me for guidance and help. Your value can go beyond the training session.
I hope that this time in our life has been an opportunity for growth for you, and I hope you have been able to rise above the many challenges this has brought.
I hope this time has, in some way, inspired a renewed commitment and investment to your health, and I hope you have seen the deeper value in it.
I will continue to provide as many resources as I can to help you all embrace the Movement Mindset and put yourself in the driver’s seat of your health and fitness journey.
Stay healthy and take care of yourselves, and now, more than ever, remember, wherever you are- keep moving.
[1] Pedersen, B. K., & Saltin, B. (2015). Exercise as medicine – evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 25, 1-72. doi:10.1111/sms.12581 [2] Publishing, H. (2014, July). Is exercise really medicine? Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-exercise-really-medicine
Pete Rohleder
